Improvement in bee-hives



tinted .gisten @time WILLIAM BLACK, OF HARRISBURG, NNS'YLVANI.

i Letters Patent No. 86,128, dated Janna/ry 26, 1869. l

INI PROVENIENT IN BEE-HIV'ES.

* *P'O-w- The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and malng part of the Rama To all whom it 'may conce/rn.-

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM BLACK, of the city of Harrisburg, county of Dauphin, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bee-Boxes, and I hereby certify that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, rei'- erence being had to. the annexed drawings,making a part of this specication, in which-4 Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improvement Figure 2 is a front elevation ofthe box;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation; and l Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the portion that constitutes the main feature ofthe invention.

The object of this invention is to provide a secure and adequate protection against the depredations of moth, grubs, and robber-bees.' This is accomplished, in an effectual manner, substantially as is hereinafter shown.

In the drawings, figs. 1, 2, andV 3, the box is shown. It is made rectangular in form, substantially as shown, and is provided with the removable boxes usual to this style of hive. Their manner of arrangement is-plainly lseen in fig. 3; '3, 4, 5, 6, and 7,represnting the ends of said boxes. A door is also provided, for convenience of access to and removal of the said boxes.

In figs. l and 2, B represents the front of the box.

At a propel' distance from the lower edge, ou said front, proper-sized openings, l, 2, (see g. 2,) are formed -or cut through the body of the box. These are intended for entrance and exit-passages for the bees.

Immediately in front of' said passages the platform, o r .i

alighting-board, e, is attached. This is intended, as its name indicates, to furnish a portal or. threshold upon which the bees may alight before entering the hive. It

also is designed to support or hold in 'proper position the protector, or portal-guard, d. (See fig. 1.)

This protector constitutes the main feature of my invention. It is constructed of wood, or other suitable material,and is made substantially as-followsz Two sid'es are formed, wider at the base than the top,-

as shown in iig. l,r These are attached to abottom, or base-piece, and a back-piece is next attached. Said back-piece has continuations formed upon it, as is shown at l', 2', fig. 4. These parts (1', 2') are intended to act as doors, to close up the passages 1, 2, that communicate with the interior of the hive.

v The bottom-piece of the protector d has a passageway, u, formed in it, as shown in tig; 4.

Upon said bottom-piece, in the interior of the protector d, is placed the box fi. It occupiesa position immediately over the passage u. It is given the form 'of the frustum of avpyramid, as is shown in iig..l.

It is made hollow," and has an opening, n, (see g. 4,) formed in the top. This is intended to allow the obnoxious insects or grubs, that may attempt to gain access to the hive, to enter the protector d.

The front of the protector is glazed, or has a piece of isinglass inserted, to permit the exposure of the interior.

As before stated, this protector is placed upon the ledge or foot-board e, so that theproject-ions l', 2 will cover up the entrance to the bee-box.

Immediately over the protector a pipe'or flue, c, is attached to the bee-box. This pipe c is hollow, and communicates with the open top of protector d when it is in position. It is intended to furnish a passage for such intruders as may have entered the protector.

The interior walls of this pipe c may be coated with tar or bird-lime, so as to hold the moth that may enter Y it, thus providing for their destruction.

Upon each side of the pipe o, the ventilators a b are placed, to furnish air to the hive.

The intention of' the above-described device is to prevent depredations at night, the protector being placed in proper position, in the evening, after the bees are all home, and, as is plainly evident, will eifectually prevent'the ingress of any depredating insect or grub.

I would state that I do not desire to claim the construction of the bee-box itself, as similar devices are g 

